Sill anchoring structure

ABSTRACT

A structure for anchoring a rigid wall structure to a floor or foundation structure, the anchoring structure comprising a truncated raised portion associated with the lower (and/or upper) edge of the wall, and a clip member having a recess with opposed tapered sides. The recess is dimensioned to receive the truncated portion of the wall with the sides thereof bearing against the tapered sides of the recess when the clip member is securely fastened to the floor. The clip member further includes an upstanding arm located to engage the rigid wall structure at a location above the truncated portion when the recess of the clip member is disposed to engage the truncated portion, and the member is securely fastened to the floor.

United States Patent Merkin [54] SILL ANCHORING STRUCTURE Billie C. Mei-kin, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: July 23,1970

[21} Appl.No.: 57,565

[72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee:

[52] US. Cl ..52/293 lilililllll'lil Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson AttomeyE. Strickland [57] ABSTRACT A structure for anchoring a rigid wall structure to a floor or foundation structure, the anchoring structure comprising a truncated raised portion associated with the lower (and/or upper) edge of the wall, and a clip member having a recess with opposed tapered sides. The recess is dimensioned to receive the truncated portion of the wall with the sides thereof bearing against the tapered sides of the recess when the clip member is securely fastened to the floor. The clip member further includes an upstanding arm located to engage the rigid wall structure at a location above the truncated portion when the recess of the clip member is disposed to engage the truncated portion, and the member is securely fastened to the floor.

SILL ANCHORING STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION wall structure is shown having elongated sill and header members clamped respectively to the bottom and top of a ribbed panel. In constructing a building using the wall structure disclosed in the application, a floor or foundation is prepared and the wall structure is disposed in an upright manner thereon with the sill member seated on the floor or foundation. The wall structure is attached thereto preferably by a clip member engaging a rear integral portion of the sill and a bolt or screw is threaded through the clip member and into the floor or foundation. The clip member must positively fix the sill (and thus the bottom of the wall) to the floor so that the wall will be retained and anchored against movement since the wall disclosed in the above-mentioned application is the basic, load bearing structure of the building, i.e., no conventional framing and studding are required when using such rigid wall structures as explained in the application.

In addition, this positive retention must remain throughout the life of the building, during which the panel and sill (and other related and adjoining structures and components) will be subjected to temperature changes and extremes which can cause expansion and contraction of the building components.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly, the present invention is directed to a clip member arrangement providing the above-discussed function of positively fixing a wall to a floor or foundation of a building construction while simultaneously insuring future, positive retention of the wall. This is accomplished by first providing the wall or a sill portion thereof, as shown for example in the above-discussed application, with a truncated raised portion extending lengthwise of the sill, and then using a clip member or members having a recess extending the length thereof and dimensioned to receive and engage the truncated portion of the sill when the clip member is fastened to the floor. Opposed sides of the recess are tapered at substantially the same angles as those of the truncated portion of the sill. The tapered sides of the recess and raised portion provide mutually engaging bearing surfaces when the clip is firmly fastened to the floor, via a screw or bolt extending through an outwardly extending planar or platform portion of the clip and into the floor. Such a clip and fastening arrangement prevents the sill and lower part of the wall from moving in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the sill and clip along the surface of the floor.

Further, with any relative expansion or contraction of the sill and clip along their longitudinal axes, the truncated portion of the sill will tend to slide within the recess and thereby wedge itself further into the recess of the clip (by virtue of the tapered sides of both structures). In this manner, future, continued retention of the wall is insured since the tendency of the wedged components will be further wedging of the truncated portion into the recess.

The clip member of the present invention includes further an upwardly extending projection or arm portion engaging a portion of the sill lengthwise thereof above the location of the truncated raised portion. In this manner, rotation of the sill is prevented when the wall is subjected to lifting forces that can occur, for example, when strong winds blowing against a building tend to lift the roof of the building. Further, the sill will tend to rotate when the clip member is tightened on the sill and against the floor during the process of firmly fastening the clip to the floor. The arm engages the sill to prevent this rotation.

THE DRAWING The invention, along with its advantages and objectives, will become more apparent after consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical section of a wall structure anchored to a floor in accordance with principles of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an anchor clip of the invention employed in the manner shown in FIG. 1.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Specifically, FIG. 1 shows in vertical section, the lower portion of a rigid wall structure 10 having an elongated sill member 12 (extending into the plane of the paper) clamped tightly thereto by a clamping member 14 located on the interior or rear side of a ribbed panel 16. The panel is preferably a preformed, prefinished structure which, in combination with the sill 12 attached to the bottom thereof, and a header (not shown) attached to the top thereof, forms a rigid, load bearing wall structure 10 as shown and described specifically in the above-mentioned Klingensmith and Merkin application. As disclosed, such wall structures are particularly suitable as exterior walls for dwelling-type building constructions. In FIG. 1 the exterior face of the panel and wall is facing to the left-hand side of the drawing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sill 12 extends from the exterior (left) side or face of the panel 16 to the interior or rear side thereof with a rear wall portion 18 engaging the clamping member 14, and legs 19 of a lower wall portion 20 of the sill seated on the upper surfaces of a floor (or foundation) structure 22.

Behind the panel 16 is shown a panel 24 of insulation material with an interior panel material 25, for example wall board, attached thereto.

As can be appreciated, the lower portion of the wall structure 10 must be firmly and positively anchored to the floor 22, and this anchoring function must continue for the life of the building constructed of the wall structures 10.

In accordance with principles of the invention, a wall structure, such as 10 though the invention is not limited thereto, is positively anchored to a floor or foundation by a clip member 28 disposed to engage a raised portion 29 of the sill 12, as shown in FIG. 1. More particularly, the sill is provided with an integral platform 30 at the rear thereof, the raised portion 29 being preferably an integral part of the platform. As seen in FIG. 1, the raised portion has a truncated configuration, in cross section, with sloping or tapered sides extending the length thereof (and into the plane of paper in FIG. 1).

The clip member 28 comprises a first raised portion and forward extension 32 having a recess 33, in the underside thereof, extending the length of member, the recess being dimensioned to receive, and having opposed tapered sides for seating against the opposed tapered sides of the truncated portion of the sill.

The clip 28 includes further a rear planar portion or extension 34 for receiving a fastening means, such as the screw 35 shown in FIG. 1. The rear of the planar portion is provided with downwardly facing ridge 36, extending lengthwise of the clip which, in FIG. 1, is into the plane of paper.

The forward raised portion 32 of the clip 28 is in a plane above those of the rearwardly extending planar portion 34 and the floor 22, the height of the forward portion and its tapered recess 33 above the surface of the floor being sufi'rcient to accommodate thereunder the raised portion and platform 29 and 30 of the sill in such a manner that when the clip is firmly fastened to the floor by the screw (or screws) 35, the sides of the recess will bear firmly against the sides of the raised portion. The ridge 36 at the rear of the planar portion 34 of the clip functions as a means to rotate or pivot the clip 28 toward the platform 30 of the sill 12 when the clip is fastened against the floor. When the tapered sides of the recess in the clip finnly engage the tapered sides of the raised portion of the sill,

the center portion of the clip will then tend to bow inwardly and toward the floor by virtue of the head of the screw 35 bearing against the planar portion. In this manner, firm engagement of the clip with the truncated raised portion of sill is insured when the clip is tightened against the surface of the floor.

With the sides of the clip recess 33 bearing against the sides of the truncated portion 29 of the sill, forward and rearward translation of the sill (in directions perpendicular thereto along the surface of the floor) are prevented.

Further, with longitudinal contraction or expansion of the sill or of the clip, the tapered sides of the sill raised portion 29 and clip recess 33 will tend to wedge the raised portion further into the recess thereby insuring continued, future, positive retention of the sill to the floor over the period of time the wall structure is in use as a basic structural component of a building construction.

A plurality of clips 28 can be employed along the length of the sill 12, the exact number being dependent upon the length dimension of the sill, the length of the clips, and the amount anchoring deemed desirable and necessary for a given type of building construction.

The clip 28 includes further an upstanding, inclined arm or projection 38 located to engage the rear wall portion 18 of the sill 12 when the clip is fastened to the floor. As shown, the arm extends and is inclined from the rear of the raised portion 32 of the clip toward the forward edge of and at a location above said raised portion.

The arm 38 functions to prevent rotation of the sill 12 when, for example, a lifting force is exerted thereon. When strong winds blow across the roof of a building, the winds tend to lift the roof and thus the side walls of the building (with the roof properly attached thereto). Since, in the rigid wall structure 10, the sill 12 is securely clamped to the bottom edge of the panel 16, the sill will tend to rotate as the lifting force tries to pull the panel in an upward direction. With the arm 38 engaging the rear wall 18 of the sill, this rotation is prevented or at least substantially reduced.

Further, when the clip 28 is fastened to the floor and thereby forced downwardly on and against the platform 30 of the sill, the front of the sill tends to raise up or rotate about its longitudinal axis since the platform 30, receiving the downward force of the clip, is located at the rear of the sill. The arm 38, by engaging the rear wall 18 of the sill, and at a location above the sill platform, provides a countervailing force which substantially reduces the tendency of the sill to rotate under the clamping force of the clip.

The configuration of the clip 28, with its tapered recess, fastening portion and upstanding arm is conveniently and economically provided by extrusion processes, the extruded product then being cut to provide clip members of appropriate lengths.

From the foregoing description it should now be apparent that a new and useful anchoring arrangement has been disclosed in which the lower portion of a wall structure is positively secured to a floor or foundation structure, and which provide future, continued, positive retention of the wall structure. This is accomplished by providing a wedging, mating fit between a lower portion of the wall, a sill portion or member for example, and an anchor clip securely fastened to the floor or foundation of a building construction.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, the claims appended hereto are intended to encompass all embodiments which fall within the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention and certain embodiments thereof, 1 claim:

1. A clip member for anchoring the sill of a wall structure to the floor or foundation of a building construction, said member having a recess extending lengthwise thereof for receiving a raised portion of said sill having tapered sides, said recess having tapered sides for engaging the tapered sides of said raised portion, said clip member havin further an upwardly extending projection for engaging sai sill along a wall portion thereof above the location of said raised portion. and an outwardly extending planar portion for receiving a fastening means to fasten said clip member to the floor or foundation structure.

2. In combination with a rigid wall structure having an elongated sill resting on a floor or foundation structure, said sill having an elongated, truncated raised portion extending lengthwise thereof,

a clip member anchoring said sill to said floor or foundation structure, said clip member having a recess with opposed tapered sides extending the length thereof seated on the truncated portion of said sill with the tapered sides of said recess bearing against the sides of said truncated portion,

said clip member having further an upstanding arm extending lengthwise of the clip member for engaging the sill above the location of the raised portion thereof, and an outwardly extending planar portion receiving a means fastening said clip member, and thus said sill and wall structures, to said floor or foundation structure.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which the sill and clip members are extruded metal structures.

4. The combination of claim 2 in which the rigid wall structure is an exterior wall for a building construction, and the sill member extends between the front and rear faces of said exterior wall, the sill member having wall and platform portions located on the rear side of the sill and wall, the truncated raised portion being located on said platform portion, and the upstanding arm of the clip member engaging the rear face of said sill wall.

5. The combination of claim 2 in which the outwardly extending planar portion of the clip is provided with a downwardly facing ridge portion engaging the floor or foundation structure.

6. A clip member for anchoring a wall structure, said member comprising a forward portion provided with a recess in its underside extending lengthwise thereof adapted to positively engage and retain a raised portion of said wall structure, and an upwardly extending arm portion located to abut a portion of said wall structure above the location of the aforesaid raised portion of said wall structure and adapted to prevent rotation' of the wall structure, said clip member including further an outwardly extending rear planar portion for receiving a fastening means for fastening said clip member to a floor or foundation structure supporting said wall structure. 

1. A clip member for anchoring the sill of a wall structure to the floor or foundation of a building construction, said member having a recess extending lengthwise thereof for receiving a raised portion of said sill having tapered sides, said recess having tapered sides for engaging the tapered sides of said raised portion, said clip member having further an upwardly extending projection for engaging said sill along a wall portion thereof above the location of said raised portion, and an outwardly extending planar portion for receiving a fastening means to fasten said clip member to the floor or foundation structure.
 2. In combination with a rigid wall structure having an elongated sill resting on a floor or foundation structure, said sill having an elongated, truncated raised portion extending lengthwise thereof, a clip member anchoring said sill to said floor or foundation structure, said clip member having a recess with opposed tapered sides extending the length thereof seated on the truncated portion of said sill with the tapered sides of said recess bearing against the sides of said truncated portion, said clip member having further an upstanding arm extending lengthwise of the clip member for engaging the sill above the location of the raised portion thereof, and an outwardly extending planar portion receiving a means fastening said clip member, and thus said sill and wall structures, to said floor or foundation structure.
 3. The combination of claim 2 in which the sill and clip members are extruded metal structures.
 4. The combination of claim 2 in which the rigid wall structure is an exterior wall for a building construction, and the sill member extends between the front and rear faces of said exterior wall, the sill member having wall and platform portions located on the rear side of the sill and wall, the truncated raised portion being located on said platform portion, and the upstanding arm of the clip member engaging the rear face of said sill wall.
 5. The combination of claim 2 in which the outwardly extending planar portion of the clip is provided with a downwardly facing ridge portion engaging the floor or foundation structure.
 6. A clip member for anchoring a wall structure, said member comprising a forward portion provided with a recess in its underside extending lengthwise thereof adapted to positively engage and retain a raised portion of said wall structure, and an upwardly extending arm portion located to abut a portion of said wall structure above the location of the aforesaid raised portion of said wall structure and adapted to prevent rotation of the wall structure, said clip member including further an outwardly extending rear planar portion for receiving a fastening means for fastening said clip member to a floor or foundation structure supporting said wall structure. 